Blackburn Buccaneer - Survivor XX885 (G-HHAA)
S.2B XX885 - Hawker Hunter Aviation Ltd. (stored), RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire
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Buccaneer S.2B XX885 at RAF Scampton Airshow, 9th September 2017; Alan McConnell
XX885 is the only complete Buccaneer still wearing the wrap round grey colours which were applied when she arrived back from the Gulf War in 1991.
The airframe was delivered to the RAF on May 20th 1974 and went on to serve with 15 and 16 Sqn based at Laarbruch in Germany, before being transferred to 12Sqn at Lossiemouth, and stayed here until 1980. Due to the incident of Buccaneer XV345 during operation Red Flag, the fleet was temporarily grounded. When investigations showed that the main spar in XV345 had failed, like many others, XX885 was flown to St Athan for a main spar replacement, and then returned to 12 Sqn. She also went on to serve with 208 Sqn and 237 OCU at Lossiemouth. In January 1991, she was prepared for the Gulf War, being painted in overall Alkali Removable Temporary Finish (ARTF), more commonly known as 'desert pink'. XX885 was given the tail code 'L', named 'Famous Grouse', and given the nose art - 'Caroline, Hello Sailor'. During the Gulf, she earned 7 mission symbols, of which one included the AN-12 symbol. The AN-12 symbol actually belongs to Buccaneer XX894 from when she bombed an AN-12. XX885 was on the same mission and after landing had parked in XX894s spot, resulting in XX885 receiving the AN-12 and getting all the credit. XX885 has the latest modifications out of the entire fleet due to being the last Buccaneer to go through Woodford in 1989, and she then received furth modifications for the Gulf War.
XX885 retired in 1994 to Lossiemouth where she was to become a maintenance airframe. Although she was given the number 9225M, she was never used for instructional uses but was instead put in storage on-site undercover. In 2000, the RAF put XX885 up for disposal with Hawker Hunter Aviation (HHA) purchasing her at an auction in March of that year. The airframe was moved to HHAs facility at RAF Scampton with a small vision of possibly getting it airworthy again. She's complete, always been undercover, never dismantled, and has no corrosion. Nearly 3000 hours of analysis work went into her which included, a complete IRAN (Inspect & Repair as Necessary) was concluded by HHA engineers in 2003 on the entire airframe and all subsystems. Custodial maintenance and ground runs were carried out on a very regular basis as per the maintenance schedules. Airframe and engine hours were good, the AP library was complete, they have acquired and overhauled a complete set of Bucc GSE also acquired, inspected, catalogued, overhauled and stored a considerable number of Buccaneer spares amongst which was the entire Bucc spares pack from RAE Bedford, an organisation which like HHA operated a single Buccaneer away from normal squadron support. These stores include 2 spare engines. She was then classified in the BCAR A8-20 'Complex' category for civilian use, and so gained the serial G-HHAA.
This is a far as XX885 ever got to getting airworthy again. The airframe regularly undertook anti-deterioration runs to exercise her systems, however, she rarely taxied, let alone fast taxied. But sadly, this all came to a halt several years ago as there was no interest in getting her flying anymore. The aircraft sat outside for some time before going undercover again in one of the hangars, she hasn't been run or even hydraulically exercised in going on a decade now, although, she has spent the last few years back undercover again. XX885 (G-HHAA) is far from being in airworthy condition, having not been even exercised in several years!
HHA has no current or future plans for XX885 other than to leave her stored in one of their hangars along with a few Hunters. - She was last seen in the public eye at the RAF Scampton Airshow back in 2017 when the photo above was taken.
The airframe was delivered to the RAF on May 20th 1974 and went on to serve with 15 and 16 Sqn based at Laarbruch in Germany, before being transferred to 12Sqn at Lossiemouth, and stayed here until 1980. Due to the incident of Buccaneer XV345 during operation Red Flag, the fleet was temporarily grounded. When investigations showed that the main spar in XV345 had failed, like many others, XX885 was flown to St Athan for a main spar replacement, and then returned to 12 Sqn. She also went on to serve with 208 Sqn and 237 OCU at Lossiemouth. In January 1991, she was prepared for the Gulf War, being painted in overall Alkali Removable Temporary Finish (ARTF), more commonly known as 'desert pink'. XX885 was given the tail code 'L', named 'Famous Grouse', and given the nose art - 'Caroline, Hello Sailor'. During the Gulf, she earned 7 mission symbols, of which one included the AN-12 symbol. The AN-12 symbol actually belongs to Buccaneer XX894 from when she bombed an AN-12. XX885 was on the same mission and after landing had parked in XX894s spot, resulting in XX885 receiving the AN-12 and getting all the credit. XX885 has the latest modifications out of the entire fleet due to being the last Buccaneer to go through Woodford in 1989, and she then received furth modifications for the Gulf War.
XX885 retired in 1994 to Lossiemouth where she was to become a maintenance airframe. Although she was given the number 9225M, she was never used for instructional uses but was instead put in storage on-site undercover. In 2000, the RAF put XX885 up for disposal with Hawker Hunter Aviation (HHA) purchasing her at an auction in March of that year. The airframe was moved to HHAs facility at RAF Scampton with a small vision of possibly getting it airworthy again. She's complete, always been undercover, never dismantled, and has no corrosion. Nearly 3000 hours of analysis work went into her which included, a complete IRAN (Inspect & Repair as Necessary) was concluded by HHA engineers in 2003 on the entire airframe and all subsystems. Custodial maintenance and ground runs were carried out on a very regular basis as per the maintenance schedules. Airframe and engine hours were good, the AP library was complete, they have acquired and overhauled a complete set of Bucc GSE also acquired, inspected, catalogued, overhauled and stored a considerable number of Buccaneer spares amongst which was the entire Bucc spares pack from RAE Bedford, an organisation which like HHA operated a single Buccaneer away from normal squadron support. These stores include 2 spare engines. She was then classified in the BCAR A8-20 'Complex' category for civilian use, and so gained the serial G-HHAA.
This is a far as XX885 ever got to getting airworthy again. The airframe regularly undertook anti-deterioration runs to exercise her systems, however, she rarely taxied, let alone fast taxied. But sadly, this all came to a halt several years ago as there was no interest in getting her flying anymore. The aircraft sat outside for some time before going undercover again in one of the hangars, she hasn't been run or even hydraulically exercised in going on a decade now, although, she has spent the last few years back undercover again. XX885 (G-HHAA) is far from being in airworthy condition, having not been even exercised in several years!
HHA has no current or future plans for XX885 other than to leave her stored in one of their hangars along with a few Hunters. - She was last seen in the public eye at the RAF Scampton Airshow back in 2017 when the photo above was taken.
Information on this page current as of 14/12/2021, last updated by Jake |
Find other photos of XX885 on the following sites:
Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net